


Praise The Noise

by sushinko



Category: No Straight Roads (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horror, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, F/M, Horror, M/M, Multi, OC X CANON, Psychological Horror, get ready to suffer, nsr spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:22:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26694454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sushinko/pseuds/sushinko
Summary: Vinyl City was once a musical utopia. Artists and dancers filled the streets, power soared, and countless people were proud to call Vinyl City home. That was, until, The Noise began playing. At first, it was just an annoyance playing on repeat. However, eventually, it fulfilled its purpose. The citizens of Vinyl City started going mad. With The Noise as their new god, violence and depravity spread in its name. Only a few people across the city managed to stay unaffected, including two subterranean rockers. They know that if they rally up the survivors and find Tatiana, who is safe in NSR Tower, that some good can still happen. But that means... they have to go through the districts.
Relationships: DJ Subatomic Supernova & Neon J., Mars & Rin, Mayday & Zimelu, Mayday & Zuke (No Straight Roads), oc & canon
Comments: 52
Kudos: 213





	1. The Noise

The sky was a misty black above Vinyl City. Tops of skyscrapers were enveloped in the clouds, piercing the heavens and bringing down drops of rain. Sounds of talking and distant music bounced off brick walls, melding with the sounds of sizzling oil in Auntie’s diner.

“MMMMHM! This is delicious!” Mayday chirped, her mouth full of Auntie’s new apam balik recipe. The older woman smiled, crow’s feet forming around her wisened eyes.

“Thank you, May! I’ll be sure to put them on the menu as soon as possible! You two are the best taste testers.” Zuke gave her a thumbs up, not wanting to follow May’s rudely loud chewing noises. May noticed the time and quickly shoved the rest of the food into her mouth, trying to muster out a thank you to Auntie as she heaved her guitar case over her shoulder.

“Vook! E gugga git to Ern Ers Err Erreener!”

“What?

“ERN! ERS! ERR!”

“Oh! NSR Arena! Sorry Auntie, but we’ll have to cut this short. We have our NSR audition in a half hour!” Auntie laughed.

“You say that as if this is the first time you’ve told me in the last hour! Good luck out there, Bunk Bed Junction!” She waved a large, wrinkled hand, covered in grease stains.

“Thank you!” Zuke shouted back, trying to keep up with his rambunctious partner.

“Come on! We’re gonna be late, lah!” May said, grabbing Zuke’s hand. “Run faster!”

“May, we still have thirty minutes-”

“COME ON!” The two ran through the backstreets of Festival Plaza, the sounds of ads droning about. The remainders of rainwater splashed around their feet, the rushing cold air raising goosebumps on their skin.

“Can we slow down? I’m gonna-” Zuke started, before May accidentally ran him into a curb. “...trip.” She turned and gasped, quickly running back to help the drummer.

“Zuke! You okay, buddy?” She asked, extending a hand toward him. He grunted a bit, rubbing his ankle.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m alright. Just rolled my ankle a bit. Let me get back-” Zuke was interrupted the second time that night, though in a stranger fashion. Every light in the city clicked off, leaving the two rockers in near complete darkness.

“Oi, another blackout?” Mayday complained, helping Zuke to his feet. “What’ll this mean for our audition?” She whimpered out.

“I don’t know. Should we wait for the lights to come back on?” Before May could respond, a massive static crack shot across the ubiquitous speakers around Vinyl City. May instinctively covered her ears, stepping back from the shock. A low thrumming sound coursed through the alleyways, bouncing off blackened monitors and echoing through skulls. The sound was followed by a static screech, the sounds of metal cracking through itself, a voice speaking nonsense beneath it all. The song of entropy folded in on itself, sending ear splitting shockwaves through the city.

“What’s going on?” Zuke cried out, wincing at the noise eating the very air around him. 

“I-I don’t know!” May responded, violet eyes dashing around, trying to find a smidgeon of light. They both froze when a scream rose from the distance, shattering the omnipresent noise. One scream was soon followed by another, which preceded a mass of wails. Zuke quickly put his hands to the ground, patting around until he felt the cold sting of metal.

“The sewers! Get in! Quickly!” May nodded and helped him lift the manhole, sucking a harsh breath of air through her teeth when the cold metal ripped the skin of her fingertips off. She quickly stumbled down the ladder, Zuke not far behind. The loud thrum shook the walls of the sewer, causing drops of condensation to fall like rain. The very walls seemed to move as the duo ran through the cold stone chambers, trying to navigate the pipes back home.

“Zuke! I see it!” May cried, holding on tighter to his hand. They quickly moved into the ambient purple light of their “living room,” not hesitating for a moment to grab onto anything real. The furniture softly vibrated as May and Zuke sat down on it, May curling her legs up to her chest. “Zuke?”

“May?”

“What’s happening?” She asked, panic lacing her face. Zuke shook his head in exasperation, burying his face in his hands.

“There’s people up there. I’ve gotta go open up the sewers.” Zuke said, looking around for a pair of headphones.

“But your ankle-”

“I’m fine. There’s bigger things to worry about right now.”

“I’m coming with you,” she said, rummaging through a nearby drawer. She pulled out two sets of earplugs, throwing one towards Zuke. “Come on!” The two nodded at each other before rushing towards the ladder, with Zuke throwing the cover open. He looked around frantically before he spotted Auntie, staring at the sky in horror.

“Auntie!” He called, snapping her out of it. “Down here! It’s safe!” Auntie nodded, quickly making her way over to the sewer. May and Zuke hopped out, trying to get a grip of what was happening. They both froze when they saw the cop that frequented Auntie’s restaurant face down in a pool of spilled coffee. His breathing was labored, and his hands gripped the lip of the table until his knuckles cracked.

“Mayday! Zuke!” A voice cried. They turned around to see Gigi and DJ Zam running towards them.

“Do you know what’s going on?” Zuke said, trying to steady his shaky movements.

“No clue, but something horrible is happening. Can we use your base to hide?”

“Yeah, go go go!” May turned around to see the cop staring at the nearest loudspeaker, his pupils dilated to the size of dinner plates. His mouth arranged itself into a malformed grin before turning his gaze towards the group. “Oh shi-”

“GET IN!” Zuke called, holding the cover open. They quickly scurried down the ladder, joining Auntie in the main room. After surveying the area for any more people, he closed the sewers, shakily making his way to the living room. He sat next to May, silently holding her close as she sobbed. The other three survivors looked at each other fearfully, grasping for words that wouldn’t come. Auntie sat next to Mayday, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Zam and Gigi followed suit, holding onto each other for what they knew would be dear life. 

Zuke wasn’t sure how the rest of them managed to fall asleep. He figured May had tired herself out with the crying, though the rest of them had seemed alert. May sleepily hugged Zuke closer to her with a whimper. Zuke pet her head softly as he stared at the continuously shaking ceiling. He shuddered, though he wasn’t sure if it was fear or the vibrations coursing through Vinyl City. All he really knew was that things were bad. Really, really bad.


	2. Red Alert

Rin shuddered as he stared out the window. He wasn’t sure exactly what was happening. No one did. He winced as he heard a scream from across the district, followed by yet another round of the horrendous noise.

“Any change?” Zimelu asked, leaning up against the wall next to his brother. Rin shook his head.

“It doesn’t look like it,” Rin sighed, closing the curtains. “Has anyone checked on Dad in the last hour?”

“Not yet… we should.”

“Yeah.”   
The two brothers sat in silence for a moment, neither wanting to do the task. Rin furrowed his brow and started making his way to his father’s suite, Zimelu close behind. The massive mahogany door had leftover sheets stuffed under it to try to keep the noises out. It would be bad enough if the screams and bangs triggered Neon’s PTSD, even worse if the Noise got to him. Rin sent a notification message to Neon, asking if he was still alright. He didn’t want to knock; it could set him off. The brothers sat in the hallway, waiting for a response. Rin’s eyes widened a bit in fear as he resent the ping.

“Anything?” Zimelu asked, his shoulders tensing up. Rin resent the ping.

“N-Nothing-” Rin responded before hearing a wail and the shatter of glass. They looked at each other in horror as Rin desperately sent the ping over and over.

“We have to get in there!” Zim cried, immediately falling to his knees to claw at the sheets barricading the room.

“Zimelu! Let’s think about this-”

“NO! Dad could be in danger! Help me with this!” He yelled, desperately yanking at the fabric. Rin nodded with scared eyes, helping his brother with the last sheet. They quickly opened the doors, frantically looking for their father. The room was in a disastrous state, with J’s desk toppled and pieces of small toys scattered across the wooden floor. 

“Dad?” Rin called, stepping gingerly into the room. Zimelu carefully followed, freezing when he noticed the shattered porthole window. Fragments of glass littered the ground, pools of blood and oil leading from the destruction to underneath a small wooden table. Underneath the table was their father, slumped over in a white and red heap. His breathing was shaky as it pulsed through his robotic filters. “DAD!”

Rin ran and kneeled down next to his father, pulling him from beneath the table. His monitor screen was cracked, blood pouring from behind the glass. The screen was glowing a horrid red as he emitted what was almost a shriek. Zimelu stepped back as his father writhed in Rin’s arms, cursing and scratching and crying. 

“STOP! INT-T-T-TRUDERS! ENEMY IN SIGHT!” Neon cried, his voice faltering into a static mess. He quickly pinned Rin to the floor, his screen going black for a moment.

“DAD! Z-Zimelu, go get help! Dad, dad please-” Rin cried, trying his best to throw the man off him. Zimelu nodded in horror, running as fast as he could to the main hall. Zimelu felt his circuits overheating, suddenly aware of every single sound and color around him. That noise. That godforsaken noise. Though he knew he and his brothers were safe from it… he chose to ignore that thought. It was just another onslaught of PTSD. He hadn’t heard it. He couldn’t have. They made sure to keep him safe. They did all they could. 

“GUYS! R-Rin, Dad’s in trouble!” He mustered to his brothers, who were immediately on guard. The four robots rushed through the halls toward Neon’s room, the doors of which stood menacingly open. Zimelu felt his core drop as he heard Rin’s cries.

“D-dad, it’s me! I swear!”

“THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY TROOPS? WITH A MASK OF MY OWN GOD DAMN FACE!”

“Dad!” Zimelu sped up as fast as he could, only to be stopped in place by a sickening crunch, followed by the most heartbreaking scream he had ever heard. “P-please,” he sobbed.

“Come on, snap out of it! We have to go!” Purl said, pushing Zimelu up the stairs. The boys rushed up the remaining stairs, only to witness something that would have made their blood, should they had any, run cold. Rin clawed at what remained of his father with his intact arm, the other mangled and shattered, ripped unevenly off its hinges, leaving jagged metal and exposed circuitry spilling out on the floor. J’s bloodied hand found its way to Rin’s face, not even noticing his other sons attempting to pull him off his broken victim. Rin’s eyes widened as J drove his thumb into his left ocular port, his voice too weak to scream.

Rip.

With a final heave, the manic soldier was forced off of Rin. He fell into a slump, his screen going blue with the phrase “Praise the Noise” repeating on its shattered pixels. Eloni ran over to Rin, gasping when he saw his face. What was left of it. Rin’s eyes had gone black, following the “never surrender” clause of his programming.

“G-Guys! He’s still alive, just shut off! We need to get him out of here!”

“But dad-” Haym started before Purlhew shushed him.

“We all know that’s not dad anymore.” Haym stared at the static body of his builder, at the torn scrap of Rin’s face it held in its hands. He turned back to his brothers with a lost expression. 

“We know this noise doesn’t affect us. We should be safe to go out on the streets, as long as we know how to act.” Purlhew stammered, helping Eloni carry Rin from the room. 

“W-we need to keep ourselves safe. When dad comes back, he won’t want to see us hurt,” Eloni said, staring at the floor.

“Yeah… when dad comes back,” Haym repeated, an attempt at a smile on his face. 

“TROOPS. Romeo- Romeo Uniform! ROMEO UNIFORM NOVEMBER! R--” A hellish, static filled voice said as J sat up, turning towards his sons. His screen looked almost right for a moment before switching back to black, with white text reading “Praise the Noise” scrawled on it. “Troops. Listen to your salvation.” J crawled towards his sons as they ran, slamming the doors behind them. Eloni closed his eyes tight as he heard the muffled wails and calls of his creator. 

We all know that’s not dad anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Two is up and running! Don't worry, it only gets worse from here. Praise the Noise!


	3. Catalyst

The freezing walls shuddered beneath the oppressive noise as Mayday and the others trudged through the sewers. 

“It’s left here. Or… maybe right? Wait one sec…” Zuke grumbled, wracking his brain. May placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

“Zuke… we’re lost, aren’t we?”

“We’re not lost! I just need to remember-”

“We’ve never even been into the sewers in Cast Tech, much less the ones leading to NSR Tower!” May cried, her desperate tone echoing off the walls. Zam sighed, redoing his bun.

“I hate to say it, but I think she’s right. This isn’t going to work. We should head back and regroup,” he said. Zuke buried his face in his hands, shaking his head.

“And then what? Just cower underground while Vinyl City goes to hell?” Gigi growled, moving his hands animatedly. “It’s been days now! I just want to go home.”

“We all do, Gigi,” Aunty assured, reaching a hand out toward him. “But we don’t know if it’s safe.” Gigi sniffed a bit, taking off his iconic sunglasses.

“I know,” he whispered, “I know.” He rubbed the glasses with the edge of his sweatshirt, trying to get the teardrops off them before anyone noticed. Zuke turned around towards the group, a grim expression on his face.

“Let’s just go home,” he finally said, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his disappointment. “I’m sorry.”

“Woah, hey, it’s okay, Zuke,” May said, giving him a big hug. “We can try again tomorrow-”

“No, we can’t. It’s hopeless.”

“If I may,” Aunty spoke up, “life has multiple paths. Maybe this one just isn’t the right one.” Zam nodded.

“That’s why they call it NSR. No Straight Roads. Maybe there’s another way.” Mayday stared at the ground in thought for a moment before her fuschia eyes widened.

“Guys! I think there is! Zuke, do you remember when we went up to the surface? We had earplugs, and we were fine. Maybe if we make a safe path through the districts, we can make our way to the edge of the city!” She said, leaning forward in excitement.

“How would we even do that?” Zuke asked, tilting his head a bit. 

“Each charter has a record that gives them control of a district,” Zam said, “if you can get your hands on them, you can rearrange the city to make a path!” He said with a hopeful grin.

“Wouldn’t that be dangerous?” Aunty asked with a concerned expression. Zuke nodded solemnly.

“Extremely. But… Bunk Bed Junction has always stuck up for the little guys. Why should we stop now?” He said, far more determined. Mayday smiled.

“Exactly, Zuke! I still have my guitar, you have your drums… is Bunk Bed Junction gonna let some Noise stop them? No siree!” she chirped.

“Right. We’re gonna bunka, junka, and bam in their faces!” He said, giving May a fist bump. May giggled a bit.

“Alright everyone! Let’s get back to base!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter! Hope I can make up for it with a double upload. :)


	4. Corrupted

“Zuke! See anything?” Mayday whispered, tapping Zuke’s ankle a bit.

“What? Earplugs, remember?”

“Oh. Right.” May adjusted the headphones over her ears. Zuke motioned for her to follow him up the remainder of the ladder, pushing the manhole cover off. He helped her up as he surveyed the area, taking note of any of the ever present radios. 

“Everything feels so… empty,” May said, squinting through the darkness. “I don’t like it.”

“Me neither,” Zuke said, hopping to his feet. He slowly started walking through the abandoned streets, trying to ignore the sickening sight of food spilt around Aunty’s diner and the building nearly falling apart. May, however, stared directly at it with watering eyes.

“Oh, poor Aunty…” She whispered. Zuke shook his head and grabbed May’s hand gripping it tightly as the two moved forward. The once bustling streets of the Festival Plaza glared at them menacingly, the once grand qwasa now looking empty and foreboding. The one silver lining Zuke could see was the lighting, which seemed to have sprung back on. The massive screen looming over the plaza shone down white text like moonbeams, illuminating the buildings with its message.

“Praise the noise?” May said questioningly. “What does any of that stuff mean?” Zuke shrugged, his eyes glued to the screen. May’s gaze moved down to meet the stare of a pink skinned stranger. She gasped. “Zuke! Look! Someone else is okay!” She let go of his hand, rushing over to the booth she stood behind.

“May! Be careful!” Zuke whisper yelled, following closely behind her. The stranger smiled at them, her teeth a strange pink. The bags under her eyes were prominent, almost popping off her face.

“Hello! Lovely day we’re having!” She spoke, her voice sounding like a rusty locomotive. 

“Are you okay? Do you know what’s going on?” May asked, leaning forward on the booth. 

“But of course! The sweet song of the angels has fallen upon us, has it not? Can you not hear their chorus?” She said, tilting her head in confusion. May and Zuke heard a gut wrenching pop as her head moved one too many degrees. 

“Uh… You mean the grating metal?” The woman’s eyes widened.

“You must hear them! Let me fix you-” She leaped forward, grasping at May’s ears.

“OW! What are you doing?!” May cried, trying to pull away. A strand of the woman’s blonde hair fell as she struggled, revealing dry blood and the remnants of an ear crudely hanging on to the skull by a few strands of loose flesh. Horrified, Zuke quickly pulled her hands off Mayday. The woman screeched, her glossy eyes widening further than what Zuke felt was natural.

“We’ve gotta get out of here, May-”

“Don’t have to tell me twice!” She grabbed Zuke’s hand once more as they ran towards the edge of the plaza, barely stopping when they met the long drop towards Cast Tech. The two nodded at each other, leaping down towards the shining blue lights beneath them. Their landing, which was rough to say the least, placed them at the foot of Club Planetarium, whose usual out-of-this-world beats were replaced with a deafening silence.

“... Do you think you’re ready?” Zuke asked, glancing over at May. She nodded.

“As I’ll ever be.”


	5. Melt

DJ Subatomic Supernova barely looked up when the door creaked open. His sigh echoed around the empty room as he strained to meet the gaze of the duo in front of him. Black sludge dripped from the shattered edges of the glass orb that once acted as his head, pooling around his limp body in midnight pools.

“Good evening,” his voice boomed, both everywhere and nowhere at once, “If you’re trying to get me to worship your false prophet, I ask you to leave. A dying god will not kneel before his murderer.” Mayday looked nervously at Zuke.

“We aren’t asking anything,” he called, taking a hesitant step forward. He shuddered as his foot landed in something wet. It squelched under his weight, sending a ripple of noise through the room.

“I wouldn’t step closer if I were you,” the static goliath warned. “That thing has turned me into… I’m not sure even I can say.” Zuke quickly retracted his foot from the sludge, shaking it a bit. “I tried my best to keep it at bay. It hasn’t taken my mind yet. But my body… please leave before it hurts you.” 

“No! We need your record to gain safe access to the Cast Tech District! The other survivors need us!” The voice laughed a bit, seeming somehow closer.

“What a valiant effort,” it mused, “Let us hope it is not misplaced.” The voice whispered, echoing through Mayday’s head.

“So will you help us?” Zuke asked, talking towards what seemed to be the sky.

“Well,” the DJ chuckled, “one does not so easily receive a favor from DJ Subatomic Supernova. I will need something-”

“Get your shattered head out of your ass!” May cried, balling her hands into large fists. “People are dying and you can’t set aside your ego?”

“Woah, May, don’t provoke him-”

“No. No, your friend is right. But I still must ask a favor of you.” May furrowed her brow, gesturing for the DJ to speak. “I need you to kill me.” Zuke’s face contorted to one of horrified surprise, taking a step back.

“Woah woah woah, what?” May exclaimed, throwing your hands down. “You’re just going to give up so easily?” 

“I suppose I am,” the voice hummed solemnly. “But I would prefer my death be called something more dignified. If the Noise manages to grasp my mind… Well, I see no point in living. Who could I harm? What would it do to the beautiful district I’ve curated for years? My fans… what’s left of them. My loves? I have simply chosen to… eliminate that possibility.” May opened her mouth to argue, but found each point her mind made completely fruitless. Zuke pursed his lips. “I’m tired of fighting,” he sighed, “I’m tired of fighting a battle I know I can’t win. I am weak. I do not have much left. Please.” Zuke looked at May, who was searching for answers on the planetarium floor.

“May? What are we doing?” He asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. She looked back up at the massive husk that sat before her, a look of determination landing heavily upon her features.

“You have a deal, Supernova,” she said monotonously. She slowly ambled down the long, sludge covered hallway, shuddering as the liquified black hole pulled at her feet. Zuke followed close behind, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his stomach. 

“Thank you,” he murmured, something sounding like the premonition of a sob lingering in the back of his throat. The very air grew cold and damp around the monolithic corpse, a distinct metallic smell burning the back of their throats. May swallowed her fear as she climbed up the ruined chair, her grip slipping on the inky mass pouring from the man’s skull. She clambered onto one of the massive armrests, tilting Supernova’s body back. She nearly threw up at the sight of shattered glass embedded throughout his torso, leaking the black sludge from deep wounds. She stifled her gut, raising her guitar tentatively. 

With a shaky inhale, she slammed it down on the remainder of Supernova’s head, the sickening crunch of glass echoing throughout the dome. May shouted as she slammed the guitar down once more, the shattering of glass replaced with the splattering of blood and the splintering of bone. With a final attack, the soft rising and falling of Supernova’s shoulders halted. May froze, tears flooding down her face as she stared at the carnage she had created. 

“I… I killed him. I- I-”

With a wail, she collapsed into the dead man’s broad chest, screaming into the pools of blood she had welled. Her sobs echoed around the building, looping in on themselves in a symphony of pain. The now mindless sludge around his body slowly crawled up his corpse, intertwining and absorbing itself over the husk. May quickly climbed down, taking Zuke’s hand as she continued to sob. The inky mass slowly dispersed, tides of space flowing down the now empty throne. As the remnants melted into the ground, Zuke noticed two small rectangular objects sitting on the back. He carefully reached out to grab them, his hand shaking uncontrollably. He grasped the thinner of the two objects: the platinum record. 

“He knew someone would come. He just… left it here. It’s ours,” Zuke whispered, mostly to himself. May nodded, her sobs becoming hiccups in the back of her throat. May reached out for the remaining item, her face contorting into a sorrowful, burdened grimace. “May? What is it?” Zuke asked, turning her hands so he could see the source of her misery. As soon as it hit him, he felt the pinpricks of tears sting his eyes. The picture before them was not a particularly sad one without context. In fact, it was rather the opposite. The late DJ was in the middle of two other people, one of which bore a massive grin on her freckled face. The other was a shorter man with what appeared to be a monitor for a head. He had wrapped his arms around the two, who were looking fondly at the camera. Zuke felt his throat clench as he realized everything that was now lost.

“I killed him, I killed him,” May sobbed, bringing a hand to her face. “He could’ve been okay, he could’ve been like that again, but I killed him-” her words became incoherent as she fell to the floor, the picture dropping from her grip. Zuke rapidly embraced her, her face burying into the crook of his neck as she cried. Zuke held her close to him, saying nothing.

“I killed him, I killed him, I killed him…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I'm very sorry. Secondly, PTN has a discord now! We talk memes, fanfiction stuff, ideas, and, of course, angst. If you're interested, please join! https://discord.gg/nDfR88f


	6. Ragtag

“How exactly does this thing work?” Zuke asked, trying to examine the strange device in front of him in the warm orange light from the sunrise. He tentatively placed DJ Subatomic Supernova’s record on the pedestal, raising his hands up quickly as if it would attack him. The ground in front of him shifted, and in the blink of an eye, futuristic buildings appeared. Cast Tech barely looked the same in the daylight. No spotlights, no telescopes aimed at the sky, no frigid wash from the blue lights that lined the streets. Only greyed buildings and the looming statue of Supernova. Its familiarity was not aided by the shattered screens around the district and the broken radios.

“It’s… empty?” Mayday whispered, sticking close to Zuke.

“There’s no sound,” Zuke replied, hope welling up in his throat. He stepped into the district, keeping his drumsticks at the ready should he need them. May followed, looking about nervously. She jumped at the sound of a snapped rope, which was followed by a strange, almost celestial alarm. Zuke looked down to see a tripwire under his foot. “Oh no-”

Silhouettes quickly appeared around the corners of buildings. One, two, three, Zuke counted. He pulled out his drumsticks, signalling May to ready her guitar. One of the figures whistled, causing the others to slink back into the shadows.

“COME OUT HERE!” May shouted, trying to stifle the quiver in her throat. She adjusted her grip on her guitar, her violet eyes darting about the district. “WE AREN’T AFRAID OF YOU!”

“What do we do?” A low voice whispered, barely audible to Mayday and Zuke. “They don’t seem corrupted.” Another whisper responded, though they couldn’t make out what it said. 

“We aren’t here to hurt you!” Zuke called, lowering the drumsticks a bit. Slow footsteps echoed around the buildings as one of the silhouettes spoke.

“You’re survivors?” She asked, her voice surprisingly soft for her intimidating aura. Zuke nodded.

“Are you all okay?” The girl stepped into a ray of sunlight in front of her, lowering her cherry-red bass. She shook her head apologetically, glancing from the duo in front of her to her loosely tied high tops. Her denim jacket was stained with blood, matching the large wound on her cheek. She stared at the two before her, spotting scratches on May’s arm. She took a shaky breath before turning back towards the buildings.

“Oi! Get the medkit!” She called, signalling for them to follow her. “We thought we were the only ones,” she said, an incredulous look of relief on her soft features. 

“There’s more of us back in the sewers. We thought we were the only ones,” Zuke said, following the black haired girl. She turned to him, raising her eyebrows.

“The sewers? That’s… that’s smart. We managed to clear out Cast Tech from any corruption, somehow… if your group need somewhere to go, well…” She shrugged. As the trio approached a boarded up building (which Zuke assumed was once the DJSS shop), two other people approached. One had a blue complexion, his crow’s feet visible under his glasses. A grey strand of hair fell in his face as he warily stared at the group. The other was a young man with bright green skin and a grimace on his face. “Come on, guys. They’re safe.” The older man nodded, following the girl to the boarded up doors. She rapped a rhythm on the door, which opened after a moment of fidgeting from the inside. A tall, mechanical robot looked down at them.

“Ro robot?” It buzzed, looking from the girl to Mayday and Zuke.

“Don’t worry, they’re cool.”

“Robot! Ro robot!”

“I know! Crazy, right? Now, let us in, it’s almost daytime.” The robot moved to the side, holding the door open.

“You understood that?” Mayday asked, jabbing a thumb at the robot.

“It’s rude to point,” the older man scoffed. May quickly dropped her hand, looking down in embarrassment. He chuckled a bit, his raspy voice somewhat welcoming to them. “I’m messing with ya, kiddo.” May nodded a bit, pursing her lips awkwardly. 

“Who are you guys?” Zuke asked, marvelling at the stacks of food and instruments around him. The girl lowered her headphones, tossing her black hair over them.

“I’m Mars,” she said, extending a hand to the duo. Zuke shook it, unsure if the marks on her nails were blood, chipped nail polish, or both. She turned to Mayday, who followed Zuke’s lead. She nodded toward the old man. “That’s Mister Dano. He owns the place.”

“Damn straight,” he said, organizing a toppled pile of rations.

“You’ve met Robot, clearly,” Mars said with a bit of a smile.

“Robot robot!” Zuke and May looked at each other in confusion.

“Uh, nice to meet you too?” May said, hoping her response was well received. The robot nodded and zipped back to where it was before. May’s attention turned to a smaller girl who was hugging the robot’s arm close.

“That’s Dreamcast,” Mars said, “she’s a little- well, a lot shy. You doing alright, Dream?” The girl nodded, holding the robot tighter. Mayday waved a bit, elbowing Zuke to do the same. “And that’s Zed,” she continued, gesturing to the grumpy looking green skinned man. He nodded a bit in acknowledgement. 

“Hi,” he said monotonously, turning back to the wall. 

“What about you guys?” She said, looking up at both of them while adjusting the instrument on her back.

“I’m Mayday,” she said, pointing at herself. “This here’s Zuke.” Zuke waved. Mars nodded with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, which seemed tired and sad.

“It’s a pleasure-” she started before a rhythmic knock on the doors interrupted her. “Oh! That must be Barbara!” She rushed over to the doors, prying them open with her calloused fingertips. A tall woman stood in the doorway, wiping the sweat from her brow.

“Any luck?” Mister Dano asked, pushing up his glasses. Barbara shook her head, sighing as she sat down heavily on a table in the entryway.

“I can’t seem to figure it out. It needs a key or something.”

“What does?” Mayday asked, cocking her head curiously. 

“We’re trying to get access to Akusuka,” Mister Dano explained. “I have a private boat at the edge of town. If we get to the coast, we can evacuate.” Zuke perked up.

“We’re trying to get to the edge of town too!” May chirped. 

“And we think we know how to help you,” Zuke added. The motley crew in front of them all turned to face him curiously.

“We’re listening.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha ocs/npcs go brrrrrrr!!! Also, would anyone be interested in me posting this on Wattpad/Tumblr? I also have a bit of art for this I may post on Tumblr!


	7. _reboot_

_  
_  
_ _ > Manual energy input detected. Rebooting…  
_  
_  
_ _ > Reboot complete. (38 Error(s) Detected.)  
_ _ > Time of Reboot: 3:43 08/02/XX  
_ _ > OS 1010.415 Online

“Woah! It worked!”

“WARNING. SYSTEM MALFUNCTION DETECTED. POWERING DOWN.”

“... Or not.”

_ _ > Shutting down… Shutdown complete.  
_  
_  
_  
_  
_ _ > Energy input detected.   
_ _ > 22:14 08/04/XX  
_ _ > Powering on…  
_  
_  
_ _ > WARNING: CHEST COMPARTMENT OPENED. 2 INTERNAL ERRORS DETECTED.

“Zimelu! Hand me that mini qwasa!”

“What? Who put you in charge?”

“I did. Now hand me the damn qwasa.”

“You can’t just put yourself in charge, four eyes! Are you the one who went to get help? Are you suddenly the dream boy of 1010?”

“THERE IS NO 1010 ANYMORE! YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO DAD. DO YOU THINK WE CAN COME BACK FROM THIS? DO YOU WANT OUR BROTHER TO STAY LIKE THIS? HUH?”

“... No.”

“Me neither. I’m sorry for yelling. Hand me the thing.”

“Yessir.”

“Thank you. Let’s see…”

_ _ > POWER CORE REMOVED. SHUTTING DOWN…  
_  
_  
_  
_ _ > Energy override detected.  
_ _ > 22:19 08/04/XX  
_ _ > Powering on…

“Okay, there’s a start…”

“HGFCGFGJGFGJYFGHJKKJNKJHGHDSTEWSRDFYVYVBHBJHBJHBKJB-”

“OKAY THEN, nap time for Rin-”

_ _ > Manual Shutdown detected. Shutting down…  
_  
_  
_ _ > Rebooting…  
_ _ > Reboot complete. (10 Error(s) Detected.)  
_ _ > Time of Reboot: 2:49 08/05/XX  
_ _ > Powering on…

“-know it’s probably not the best idea to talk to your unconscious brother in the middle of the night, but… We miss you. A lot.”

“... Eloni? What are you doing over there? We should be charging!”

“Just seeing if that piece I lost earlier is over here. I’m coming back.”

“Kay, good luck with that. I’m going back to sleep…”

_ _ > No movement detected for 15 minutes. Entering sleep mode…  
_  
_  
_  
_  
_ _ > Testing energy core. Powering on…  
_ _ > 11:41 08/05/XX

“- not your fault!”

“Yes it is! I could’ve protected him! But I ran away. I ran away like an idiot. Now we’re left scavenging the streets. God damn it…”

“Zimelu, please! You did what you thought was right. No one’s blaming you.”  
“Yeah, this isn’t your fault.”

“... Then why do I feel so guilty?”

_ _ > Energy core suitable. Powering down...  
_  
_  
_  
_  
_ _ > Fully charged. Initiating self power up…  
_ _ > 10:10 08/06/XX  
_ _ > Three errors detected.  
_  
_ _ > Memory file corrupted. Installing last backup…  
_ _ > Connection to 1010.415.a.R_ARM severed.  
_ _ > Outer layer damaged: 1010.415.a.f.L_HEMI_FACE  
_ _> Following files restored:  
_ _> 1010voicefiles.mp3  
_ _> neonjpatchV6.zip  
_  
_  
_ _> Restored: rin.exe

“-not going to work! He’s gone, okay?”

“Shut up! He’s not gone, we just need some more parts-”

“We’ve needed more parts for days now!”

“Guys, calm down! We shouldn’t be fighting! We’re brothers, remember?”

“... Hey guys?”

“Haym, we’re kinda busy!”

“No. Guys. Come here.”

“... Holy sh-”

“... He’s awake?”

“RIN! Can you hear us?”

“... he nodded. HE NODDED!”

“RIN!”

“... E-Eloni?”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s lil bro Eli, it’s me…”

“I told you it would work-”

“Purlhew? Is that you?”

“Yes! Yes, it’s me!”

“I can’t believe it.”

“Me neither!”

“Zimelu, Haym… guys, what happened?”

“You don’t want to know.”

“The important part is that you’re okay. We missed you so much, Rin.”

“We love you, man!”

“Love you guys, too.”


	8. Flood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and i oop-

Mayday didn’t quite know what she had expected upon entering the maw of Akusuka. The neon lights were nothing new, nor was the soft buzzing of electricity. What she hadn’t expected was the jet black water that poured through the abandoned streets, lapping up in waves on the structures that had managed to avoid being completely submerged. May looked out upon the flooded streets in front of her, shuddering at the nauseous reflection of Kura Kura Stream Hub.

“How are we supposed to get across?” Barbara asked, looking to Zuke for answers. Zuke placed a hand to his chin as he surveyed the area. 

“Hell if I know,” Mr. Dano replied, scratching his head in thought.

“Well… how deep is it?” Mars asked, crouching down to reach for the water.

“Don’t!” A voice called out, followed by panicked footsteps. The group turned to see an awkward looking man emerge from the shadows of the buildings, his eyes wide with fear. Mayday and Zuke quickly readied their weapons, motioning for their three companions to move behind them. “No, no, I’m telling you! Get away from the water, it’s not safe!” He stepped closer, holding his hands up in surrender. He peered at the group from over his glasses. “Someone- something’s in there. Please, trust me on this!” The group exchanged nervous glances, each unsure if they could trust what he was saying. Sure, it wasn’t impossible, but something in them wanted so badly for it to be. 

“... Prove it,” Zuke spoke after an unsettling silence. The red haired man nodded, unclipping a silver earring with shaky hands. He threw it into the murky abyss, where it disappeared with a ripple. The silence weighed heavy upon them as suspense pumped through their veins. The man looked from the water to the group next to him, a confused expression on his face. He edged closer to the lapping waves, trying to make out any semblance of shape amidst the murky depths. 

“Well then-“ Barbara started before finding herself silenced by the spectacle of a massive webbed hand rising from the pitch. A tortured scream ripped through the air as the limb grabbed the stranger, pulling his writhing body into the deep. He fruitlessly dug his nails into the concrete, leaving May horrified as she watched them snap off like bloody pebbles. The cries were soon muffled by a splash. Mayday didn’t think, didn’t listen to the cries of her companions, didn’t wait a moment to dive in after him, her guitar at the ready. The midnight pool surrounded her, the cold sending chills through her body. She squinted, trying to see the nebulous creature in front of her. She spotted a claw… or was it a tooth? A fin, a cloudy eye, and a flash of red hair within it’s clutches. She swam over to him, swinging blindly at the entity. As she grabbed the man’s collar, her guitar slammed towards the beast. It split through the pasty body, which quickly reformed as if nothing had happened. It briefly let go, an opportunity May used to struggle as fast as she could towards the surface with the man in tow. 

As she nearly lost her breath, two sets of hands pulled her from the brink, setting her on the ground as she coughed and wheezed. A pale, veiny mass rose from the inky pool, a massive set of cloudy eyes rising just above the water. Strands of white hair danced along the surface like slithering eels as the entity bore holes into their skulls, making an unearthly clicking noise. It quickly dipped back into the water, it’s massive tail trailing behind it. It took a moment for everyone to realize what happened, especially the stranger himself. He was quickly snapped back to current events when he noticed only a bloody stump where his leg should be. He tried to let out a scream, but only water came up from his lungs. Mars quickly threw off her jacket and started wrapping it around the wound, the denim immediately growing a sickly red. She tied the sleeves in a tight knot before looking fearfully up at the group.

“Someone help me elevate the limb,” she said, trying to halt the fear in her voice. Barbara nodded, quickly lifting the man’s leg as he winced in pain, a gargled cry spewing from his chest. 

“He needs proper medical care…” Barbara murmured in between speaking calming words to the man.

“Dano, you should go back with him and get help,” Mars said, looking at him with pleading eyes.

“What? Why me? Barb’s stronger-”

“You saw what happened! You have an expecting wife waiting at NSR Tower, don’t you? I would never forgive myself if I couldn’t get you to her safe. We’ll come back for you and the rest once we take care of that… that thing.” Dano sighed, shaking his head tiredly.

“You kids have a lot of hope, huh? And I know there’s no convincing you on this…”

“Not a bit. Take him and head home.”

“Be careful out there, the lot of ya. Come back safe.” Dano lifted the nearly unconscious man, careful not to touch the denim tourniquet. He nodded to the group before turning away, murmuring something incomprehensible under his breath. Mars shivered, though she couldn’t tell if it was fear or the cold rushing over her exposed skin. She wiped her eyes quickly, turning away from the group to do so. May and Zuke looked at each other, each unsure of what to say. Barbara placed a hand on Mars’ shoulder, saying something softly to her that the duo couldn’t understand. Mars nodded in response to the taller woman, walking back to the rest of the survivors.

“So,” she said, a new look of determination in her cherry eyes, “what did you see down there, Mayday?” May jumped a bit at the sudden mention of her name before she responded with similar intensity.

“I tried to hit it with my guitar, but it went right through, like a ghost or something! I don’t know what it could be, but it’s somehow, like, invincible.” Barbara’s eyes widened a bit in horror. 

“That’s not promising…” she murmured, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Zuke, after furrowing his brow in thought, tapped May on the shoulder.

“Was it almost digital? Like a hologram?” He asked, his gaze going past her to the ruined building of the Kura Kura Stream Hub. May nodded, unsure of where Zuke was going. “Then… that might be what happened to Sayu.” The group went silent, staring at the water as if speaking her name may summon her.

“If she’s just a hologram, how did she get that guy’s leg?” Mars asked, her gaze fixed on the black frothy waves.

“I don’t know. Maybe only certain parts of her are corporeal?”

“Hold on,” Barb spoke up, standing up from her squatting position, “she performed in a virtual seascape, which gave her a physical form… if we can get there, we can destroy the root of the hologram!” The rest searched for approval from the others, each unsure of what they should do.

“Well,” Mars shrugged, “we have to try something.” May and Zuke nodded in response, turning their attention to the tall building in the distance.

“If I remember everything right from before the noise started, Akusuka’s virtual district was powered by two main generators. If we can get those running again, we might be able to go to Sayu’s concert hall!” Barbara continued, gears clearly turning in her mind.

“There’s four of us and two of them. Should we split up to get done faster?” May asked. Zuke nodded in agreement.

“Barb and I will take care of the East generator. You and Mars go to the West,” he responded, nodding towards the taller woman. 

“If anything happens to one of us, just run. We don’t need any martyrs,” Mars said, making sure to address everyone individually. “We just need survivors.”


	9. Shibata

The inky water rushed beneath Mayday as she jumped from one nearly submerged platform to another. She yelped as she felt her foot slip on the slick surface, quickly moving to stabilize herself.

“You okay?” Mars asked, carefully following her. Mayday nodded, trying to still her panicked breathing. 

“Yeah, I’m good,” she confirmed, relieved to find an elevated portion of the street. She quickly leaped across, offering a hand to Mars to do the same.

“Good. I think we should be getting close to the generator soon. It’s in Shibata Plaza, if what Barbara said holds true.” Mars said, wrapping her arms around herself. May noticed how she shivered, though she couldn’t tell if it was fear or the cold mist around them.

“Mars, how old are you anyway?” May asked, looking at the shorter girl.

“Uh, I’m 20. Why?” Mars looked quizzically at her. Mayday shrugged.

“I dunno, you just seem kinda young to be operating a whole survivor complex. Like, I’m 21 and I just eat pizza and shred my guitar all day.” Mars sighed, looking down toward the wet asphalt that glimmered with the reflections of lights. 

“Well, I never really asked for this. Believe me, before the noise happened, I just played video games and watched cheesy 80s horror movies. I worked a minimum wage job at Supernova Coffee. I was a music loving college dropout. I guess when everything happened, I just focused on trying to protect people. Not my fault they decided I was a good candidate for being in charge.” She said, vaulting herself fairly clumsily over a toppled vending machine. “If it were up to me, I’d be cowering in a corner and waiting it out. But it’s not. I get the sense you know what I mean.” She looked back at Mayday, a sad smile on her face. May nodded slowly, thinking about why she was out here in the first place. Mars picked up a small, soaked Sayu plushie that had fallen from the shattered glass of the vending machine. She wrung it out a bit before putting it in a pocket on her bass case.

“What’s that for?” May asked, gesturing to the plush.

“Well, it can’t hurt to have something nice. Besides, I bet Dreamcast would love it. It’s hard being a kid in these times.” She smiled a bit. “And, well, maybe it’s a reminder that they’ll come back, you know? Plus, free stuff. The silver lining of the apocalypse.” Mayday stared at the ground, thinking of the fate she had bestowed upon Subatomic Supernova. She knew they wouldn’t come back. She swallowed her guilt as the two approached a hexagonal plaza that remained relatively untouched by the flood. The normally ubiquitous ads of Sayu had turned into empty static, which contrasted with the bright lights of the storefronts of Shibata. Corrupted people shambled about the plaza, some staring emptily at the static, others almost simulating their previous routines of window shopping and picture taking. Mayday readied her guitar before feeling Mars’ hand on her shoulder.

“What?”

“We need a plan.” Mayday rolled her eyes a bit. She was never a fan of plans. “They shouldn’t be hostile if they don’t realize we aren’t one of them. There’s too many out there for just the two of us. We should be thinking stealth.”

“Lah, you sound exactly like Zuke.” She lowered her guitar reluctantly. “What’s the plan then?” Mars put her hand to her chin before looking over at May.

“We walk in normally…”

“Uh huh?”

“I transform the generator, and you defend me by hitting any bold corrupted with your guitar.”

“I thought this was supposed to be stealthy?”

“I lied, forget about that. After we get the generator back up, we run like hell back to Kura Kura Stream Hub and hope we don’t die horrible noisy deaths.” Mayday nodded, amused by the thoughts bouncing back and forth in Mars’ head. 

“Good plan!” She said, picking her guitar back up. She started making her way towards the massive qwasa in the center of the plaza, quickly followed by a nervous Mars. Mars took her bass out of its case, clutching it close to her as they approached the generator. Mayday nodded at her, turning to cover her back. Mars took a deep breath, plucking out a few deep notes. The qwasa started glowing a dim yellow light, a whirring sound filling the air. Mayday felt the eyes of the corrupted bore into her as she took up a fighting stance. Mars kept playing, trying to steady her shaky hands. 

“How dare you interrupt the siren’s song!” An old voice cried, dragging May’s attention to a sea captain limping quickly towards her. May quickly smacked him down with her guitar, wincing as she heard the heavy thud of his body on the concrete. 

“Sorry, sir-” she murmured under her breath as she fended off other corrupted with her best attempt threatening stare. “Mars! What’s your progress looking like?” She said, sending a small elbow behind her to the other girl.

“Working on it!” Mars responded through gritted teeth. She hastened her plucking, looking up hopefully at the spinning qwasa. The corrupted started closing in, some being sent careening towards the ground by May’s swings. Mars felt her palms grow sweaty as she saw the threatening gazes of the corrupt in her peripheral vision. Her movements hiccuped for a moment as she tried to stifle her fear in her chest. May’s swinging became haphazard as the waves of bodies barreled towards her, the sounds of bone cracking filling the air. “AGH-” Mars cried out as a particularly upset corrupted tackled her, sending her instrument just out of reach. The man’s eyes were bloodshot and clouded, an empty rage pouring from them into Mars. She raised her arms to protect herself, reaching blindly for her bass. After realizing her attempts were fruitless, she nervously started singing towards the qwasa, hoping she could finish the last of the charging. Her desperate melodies enraged the man straddling her as he let out an animalistic cry. As the charging reached 95%, he smacked away Mars’ hands, his own clammy and misshapen limb wrapping fiercely around her neck. Her birdsong turned into hoarse croaks as she desperately clawed at the man looming over her. Mayday forced an opening from the onslaught of bodies, turning to rip the man off of Mars. She quickly played a riff on her guitar, the qwasa powering up with the final notes. It sent out a shockwave of light, causing the infected to fall back from their attacks. May quickly helped Mars up, grabbing her bass from the ground with her free hand. 

“Come on!” May called, running back down the empty streets with Mars in tow. She didn’t know how long she ran, but it felt like milliseconds and centuries all at once. Once she was only able to hear her panicked footsteps and Mars’ coughing, she slowed, realizing how out of breath she was. She fell into a kneel on the ground, her chest rising and falling dramatically with each breath. Mars quickly joined her on the wet pavement, wheezing and gasping for air. As May’s adrenaline diffused, she looked over at the girl next to her, whose pained noises had turned into a quiet heaving. She cried near silently, her body shaking as she clutched her neck. “Are you going to be okay?” May asked, placing a hand on her shuddering shoulder. Mars looked up at May, fear and sorrow mixing in her gaze.

“I-I… yeah.” She whispered out, a sore croak in the back of her throat. “T-Thanks.” May slowly got to her feet, extending a hand towards Mars. May shivered as she took it, gripping her hand like she would die if she let go. The two made their way to the stream hub in silence, both trying to recover from what had occurred in Shibata Plaza. May stared straight ahead, hoping, praying that Zuke wouldn’t have to go through the same thing. She shuddered at the thought of Zuke taking Mars’ place under a crazed maniac’s grip. She wouldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm sorry for going off the grid for a while. I just got my first car and I've been super busy with paperwork stuff. Thank you guys for all the meaningful comments and nearly 2000 hits! It means a ton, and if it weren't for you all I wouldn't be writing this. Cheers!


	10. (fan art!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I made a painting for the last chapter! Sorry, but no update tonight... my brain hurts from the art.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Thank you for reading chapter one of Praise The Noise! This came from a discord server I'm in and is one of my proudest ideas. I hope you all enjoy!


End file.
